This article has been written has the result of a paid collaboration between Hong Kong Madame and My Market
I’ve been living in Hong Kong for more than eight years now and there’s a crazy number of things I love about this city. However, you can take the girl out of France, but you can’t really take France out of the girl and there always a few French things I miss in Hong Kong.
I was lucky to spend a very long summer in France and I have to say: French supermarkets are the best! And this is talking from the girl who love nothing more than spending hours in the alleys of local grocery shops and supermarkets when she visits a new country. Don’t you feel like supermarkets are such a great way of understanding the lifestyle and food habits of a country? Whenever I’m traveling, a supermarket stop is always on my to do list.
Therefore, I’ve decided to partner with My Market – the number one online supermarket for French products in Hong Kong which has just launched its brand-new website, to bring you my curated recommendations of brands to check at and products to buy. There are many reasons why I think French supermarkets are the bests, and here are five of them.
They stock French gourmet regional products
I’ve been living in Hong Kong for more than eight years now and there’s a crazy number of things I love about this city. However, you can take the girl out of France, but you can’t really take France out of the girl and there always a few French things I miss in Hong Kong.
I was lucky to spend a very long summer in France and I have to say: French supermarkets are the best! And this is talking from the girl who love nothing more than spending hours in the alleys of local grocery shops and supermarkets when she visits a new country. Don’t you feel like supermarkets are such a great way of understanding the lifestyle and food habits of a country? Whenever I’m traveling, a supermarket stop is always on my to do list.
Therefore, I’ve decided to partner with My Market – the number one online supermarket for French products in Hong Kong which has just launched its brand-new website, to bring you my curated recommendations of brands to check at and products to buy. There are many reasons why I think French supermarkets are the bests, and here are five of them.
They stock French gourmet regional products
Terroir in France is a serious affair. Each region has its very own amazing breadth of regional specialties which reflect its history, climate and geography. And if you visit a supermarket in France, you’ll often find an alley stocked up with some of the delicacies from the region you’re in, be it cassoulet in the southwest, pâté with Espelette pepper in the Basque country, shortbread biscuits and fish soup in Brittany or choucroute in Alsace.
My Market is no exception to this and while browsing their website, you can search for brands such as Ederki and Conserverie Gonidec. The first one offers gourmet products inspired by the art of living in the Basque Country and discerning gourmets are in for a treat with Basque specialties such as duck parmentier with sheep milk cheese, veal axoa espelette pepper and gazpacho. The second one brings the flavours of my Breton childhood holidays to Hong Kong with products such as hake rillettes with cider or sardines.
They have an unmatched offering of dairy products
Hong Kong being such an international city, I pretty much find everything I’m looking for in terms of French food. But the dairy products range out there is nothing quite like in France. And I’m not talking just about cheese. Even in the smallest supermarkets and grocery stores in France, you’ll easily find at least 20 to 30 different yogurt options. And when it comes to milk, you’ll also have plenty of choice including semi-skimmed milk - my go to.
Plant-based alternatives might be rising in popularity, but I love my French dairies and I’m glad I can find my semi-skimmed milk, Normandy milk-based Greek yogurts and salted butter in My Market’s dairy selection. Oh, and you know what? They also stock my little guilty pleasure: Cancoillotte – a melted cheese specialty from Franche-Comté.
They offer an ever-developing range of organic products
My Market is no exception to this and while browsing their website, you can search for brands such as Ederki and Conserverie Gonidec. The first one offers gourmet products inspired by the art of living in the Basque Country and discerning gourmets are in for a treat with Basque specialties such as duck parmentier with sheep milk cheese, veal axoa espelette pepper and gazpacho. The second one brings the flavours of my Breton childhood holidays to Hong Kong with products such as hake rillettes with cider or sardines.
They have an unmatched offering of dairy products
Hong Kong being such an international city, I pretty much find everything I’m looking for in terms of French food. But the dairy products range out there is nothing quite like in France. And I’m not talking just about cheese. Even in the smallest supermarkets and grocery stores in France, you’ll easily find at least 20 to 30 different yogurt options. And when it comes to milk, you’ll also have plenty of choice including semi-skimmed milk - my go to.
Plant-based alternatives might be rising in popularity, but I love my French dairies and I’m glad I can find my semi-skimmed milk, Normandy milk-based Greek yogurts and salted butter in My Market’s dairy selection. Oh, and you know what? They also stock my little guilty pleasure: Cancoillotte – a melted cheese specialty from Franche-Comté.
They offer an ever-developing range of organic products
I’m all for organic products but I need it to be convenient. And what can possibly be more convenient than finding these products in the alleys of your local supermarket? If Hong Kong as plenty of organic stores where you can buy fresh, wholesome products, it seems like the organic range is still very limited in local supermarkets.
I love that My Market is just like any French supermarket, mixing organic and non-organic products on the shelves for you to conveniently opt for an organic alternative whenever you feel like. My baby girl loves her juices and Sibio! organic juices and nectar are our go to. They just taste like pure fruits. We also like the organic snacks from Nature & Compagnie because they are a tasty and healthier alternative to your traditional crackers. I know a little someone who can’t resist their parmesan cheese and basil petit-beurre.
They carry a wide range of baby products
I love that My Market is just like any French supermarket, mixing organic and non-organic products on the shelves for you to conveniently opt for an organic alternative whenever you feel like. My baby girl loves her juices and Sibio! organic juices and nectar are our go to. They just taste like pure fruits. We also like the organic snacks from Nature & Compagnie because they are a tasty and healthier alternative to your traditional crackers. I know a little someone who can’t resist their parmesan cheese and basil petit-beurre.
They carry a wide range of baby products
Speaking of my baby girl, why is the range of baby products so limited in Hong Kong supermarkets? You’ll be lucky if you find two different brands for diapers, one brand for milk powder and five different baby food products.
Homemade is my favourite choice when it comes to my baby’s food. But let’s be honest, some days are busier than others and it’s always great to have a plan B in the freezer. I like that French supermarkets always offer a few gourmet options for the little ones. My Market has brought one of these gourmet babies brands to Hong Kong – Yooji . Cue organic vegetable puree, fish fillets and meat portions for you to plate up a delicious baby meal in just a few minutes. What’s more, all their recipes are free from additives, preservatives, gluten and added salt. The meat and fish portions are also weighted which is ideal and will save you some hassle when you decide to start and introduce proteins to your baby’s meals.
They work with a growing number of artisan brands
Homemade is my favourite choice when it comes to my baby’s food. But let’s be honest, some days are busier than others and it’s always great to have a plan B in the freezer. I like that French supermarkets always offer a few gourmet options for the little ones. My Market has brought one of these gourmet babies brands to Hong Kong – Yooji . Cue organic vegetable puree, fish fillets and meat portions for you to plate up a delicious baby meal in just a few minutes. What’s more, all their recipes are free from additives, preservatives, gluten and added salt. The meat and fish portions are also weighted which is ideal and will save you some hassle when you decide to start and introduce proteins to your baby’s meals.
They work with a growing number of artisan brands
There’s a growing appetite for products from small producers and artisan brands and French supermarkets are aware they need to add these products to their range. This is one of the reasons why you can find a growing number of these products in their alleys alongside those from multinationals.
I suggest you check at the range of artisan brands featured on My Market. I’m sure you’ll find a gourmet product you’d like to try. I like to have a few spreads from Albert Menes – such as the organic dried tomato cream and the organic green tapenade, in my cupboard. They’re delicious and always come in handy when I have friends popping by for aperitivo. The orangette dark chocolate and chocolate cornflakes roses from Le Chocolatier Sablais are also a great pick, you can bring them as a gift when invited to someone’s house or served them with coffee and tea if you have visitors. There’s also artisan ciders from Maison Sassy, Jean Larnaudie’s foie gras (we’re French after all!), artisanal beers crafted in Lyon from NINKASI and much more.
I suggest you check at the range of artisan brands featured on My Market. I’m sure you’ll find a gourmet product you’d like to try. I like to have a few spreads from Albert Menes – such as the organic dried tomato cream and the organic green tapenade, in my cupboard. They’re delicious and always come in handy when I have friends popping by for aperitivo. The orangette dark chocolate and chocolate cornflakes roses from Le Chocolatier Sablais are also a great pick, you can bring them as a gift when invited to someone’s house or served them with coffee and tea if you have visitors. There’s also artisan ciders from Maison Sassy, Jean Larnaudie’s foie gras (we’re French after all!), artisanal beers crafted in Lyon from NINKASI and much more.
